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Examines whether rich non-Western countries should offer equal rights & citizenship opportunities to deprived workers from foreign lands, as liberal democratic theory would presumably demand. The cases of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong & Singapore illustrate how offering citizenship could worsen their overall situation politically; dramatically cut the number of new workers permitted into those countries; create a climate where illegal immigrants received lower wages & reduced rights; &, therefore, substantially reduce family remittances back to the Philippines. It is proposed that unequal rights between citizens & foreign resident workers could be considered acceptable when the following conditions are met: (1) Foreign workers choose the situation as beneficial to their circumstances. (2) The situation is an opportunity for impoverished workers to improve their lives. (3) No better options are available. L. A. Hoffman

Challenges the author faced as a teacher of political theory at the National University of Singapore in designing a curriculum drawing on traditions of all ethnic groups and how inclusive curricula can encourage mutual learning and understanding and break down barriers; implications for other plural societies.

The tendency for individuals to blame the People's Republic of China's current economic problems on Marxism is challenged. An overview of Marxist thought on the role of technology & capitalism in achieving more productive processes is presented. It is contended that Mao Zedong grossly distorted Marxist thought in his Great Leap Forward. Mao's attempt to circumvent capitalism, thus achieving socialism ahead of schedule, severely decreased grain production, causing social & economic chaos that resulted in millions of deaths. It is asserted that Karl Marx was highly critical of his utopian contemporaries who underestimated the role of the capitalist stage of development. Marx would strongly support the capitalist-based economic reform policies implemented under Deng Xiaoping & continued under Jiang Zemin's leadership. However, current communist leadership has disregarded two aspects of Marxist thought: (1) New economic structures engender new political & legal institutions. (2) The emergence of workers' unions does not necessitate repression. J. W. Parker

In response to Evan Charney's comments (1999) on his (1998) work, Bell contends that Charney fails to present adequate support for the idea that the Western view of human rights should be seen as universally fundamental. Though Charney is correct in arguing that the current list of universal human rights is inadequate, a cross-cultural dialogue is essential if this situation is to be remedied. Charney objects to this cross-cultural dialogue, instead arguing that American-style civil liberties must be enforced at all costs. What Charney fails to consider is that when the ideals of Western societies are randomly imposed on the varied cultures of the world, they are often met with scorn & contempt. A universal human rights strategy that is negotiated and agreed to by all cultures of the world will find success. When universal human rights are based on traditions & customs, a long-term commitment to human rights practices will result. K. A. Larsen